On Frankie Cosmos' Lates abum 'Vessel' and defining Judy Blume and Doom.
After releasing 3 songs as singles; Jessie (early in January), Being Alive (in February) and then finally Apathy (just weeks ago), Greta Kline - Better known as Frankie Cosmos dropped the album Vessel last week. Even with so many great hits leading up to the release, I gotta say, this album knocks it outta the freekin' park. I've been trying my best to give all the new releases equal play for the week to round out the listening experience but I just can't seem to stop playing this home run.
Before I dive into the specifics of the songs and how much I freekin' love every part of it, I think it's as great of a moment as any to acknowledge the growth and maturity of this latest album of our darling Frankie Cosmos. In between the two years of this release and her album 'Up Next' you really get how much her pen has been scribblin' and how much her musical ear has been listening, specially when you look at a track like 'If I had a Dog'. Not to discredit that song because it's amazing and adorable but the poetry and music sensibility on such tracks as Caramelize, makes it like night and day. That being said, it's like night and day within that super amazing and unique 'Judy Blume and Doom' universe of Frankie Cosmos. 'My Phone' exists on the album and it's still one of those :30 sec, simply stated tunes. Either way, It all feels right, it all feels ultimately like Frankie Cosmos, but Greta Cline's awareness of her own tropes makes it so that on this album those super light, delicate moments really tickle the surface of your skin while those gritty punk rock jams and lyrical quips really punch you in the gut. It's the ultimate piece of sugary cupcake with a side cup of black jo(jo) [yes that is a Frankie Cosmos joke - get in on the program guys].
So - Specifically - these tracks tho...Oh my Love!
When you rolled off way back when, I got this feeling I would never see you again But here you are in my bed Heart gets tender...
Caramelize - Arguably my favourite track on the whole album. This song really gets that glitter and whiskey combo, the conflicting styles that is this babes backbone. The delicacy in the vocal wisps on the first part of the song rev right into the whole band rockin' out intermittently. It's just overall a great time. Plus this song has some of my favourite Frankie Cosmos lines like...
Close my eyes and they start to sting Feeling my tear ducts doing their thing
and of course, how could you forget...
When the heart gets too tender Return it to the sender
As Often As I can - More than the :30 Banger
This track, while has the same soft vibes as some of Frankie Cosmo's classic :30 tunes, it is in fact a whole minute long. Shocking. It has much of the same feel as the tracks off of Zentropy in the sense that the song revolves around the same lyrics being repeated, simply,
I love you so I let you know As often as I can
But, even in those 1950's dreamy slow dance sounds that define this song, the guitar actually fills a lot of that time. It's really refreshing.
Jessie - Ya...
I still remember where I was when this song dropped. I was home late after a long day of shooting, general good vibes but energy as low as could be. I sat in the kitchen to make some food, the roommates weren't home and I finally got the moment to pop the tune on I had been waiting for all day. It got me, even in that chill state, dat song shook me. It starts out so simple and slow, but that bass just trails you right into this goldmine. I instantly played it like 300 times and I'm pretty sure it's going to become impossible for any other song to be as played as that one for the entire year on my spotify list, as I keep coming back to it. It's probably the most well rounded out of every track on the album too. And the lyrics, oh freekin' baby,
I created a scorpion and then had to kill it Just like I loved you and then had to will it To end
girl knows how to cut with them words.
Duet - Such a soft lil medley.
This one is kinda one of the coolest tracks on the album. It has that soft dream pop slow dance vibe but then we get this interesting taste of a siren like theremin, which is something we don't normally hear on Frankie Cosmos songs. I like to imagine it is partially at the influence of that track she did with Dent May last year 'Across the Multiverse' wherein even Dent May, the uke player, jazzed up the crooning with a bunch of space age synths and sounds. But who knows, either way, its a lightly used theremin sound, could even just be an effect peddle, but it's placement is smart and also makes this track stand out. Cool.
Being Alive - Makin' me feel Alive
This track, is the cayenne on the album. It really spices shit up. I remember listening to it for the first time and thinking to myself, woah, is this the direction the whole album is goin in? But alas, it's the exception and the rule. That's less a criticism and more an observation. I think it's a key piece of the puzzle that ties this album together. This track is the most punk rock on it, faster rhythm, sadder lyricism, a lil more aggressive than those familiar sweet sensibilities. Like I said earlier, I think one of the best parts of this album is the awareness of those contrasting styles within the Frankie Cosmos universe and this is the one side of the spectrum. It is just a freekin' wicked song. It still has those moments too, but even in those moments she pops out lyrics like...
Matters quite a bit Even when you Feel like shit Being Alive
and
I'm collapsing inwardly You're name strikes a match in me
This song and this album as a whole strikes a match in me.
Sometimes I sit and try to think about what it is that really grabs me about music, and Frankie Cosmos is pretty well it.
She is a perfectly unbalanced sound phenomenon in itself and she is so just by being herself. She is a real tough cookie who's both darling and sensitive. That is shown in her lyricism and musicality. It's all tied together, with a cool freekin' bow.
Give it a listen if you like, or don't, I think it's groovy as all heck and would love your opinions.
Judy Blume for scale